BACKGROUND: Newborn screening (NBS) detects genetic and metabolic conditions that may be present in a newborn before clinical symptoms manifest. Early detection and treatment prevents catastrophic health outcomes. It was introduced into the public health delivery system with the enactment of the Newborn Screening Act of 2004. However, there still seems to be a trend of noncompliance.
OBJECTIVE: The study sought to determine the prevalence of NBS compliance in Quezon City lying-in clinics (LICs) between 2010-2015 and the factors that are associated with compliance of mothers with NBS.
METHODS: An analytic cross sectional study design was utilized. Records of 710 mothers who gave birth in Quezon City LICs were randomly selected. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine if the mothers' age, civil status, PhilHealth membership, gravidity, and parity were associated with NBS compliance.
RESULTS: A 6-year prevalence of NBS compliance of 36.6% was found. PhilHealth members were more likely to comply with newborn screening (AOR=4.1; 95%CI: 2.9 - 6.0). Moreover, the odds of compliance among married mothers were higher than unmarried mothers (AOR=1.6; 95%CI: 1.1 - 2.3). Finally, primiparous mothers were more likely to comply than multiparous mothers (AOR=1.5; 95%CI: 1.0 - 2.1). Age and gravidity were not found to have statistical association with NBS compliance.
CONCLUSION: The higher odds of compliance among PhilHealth members was expected since they can avail of NBS for free. Ninety-five percent of primiparous mothers included in the study were primigravid; they are more likely to go to prenatal checkups when NBS information is given, according to literature.